Andy Reid: "You can learn from every game"

Coach Reid provides the team's latest injury update and more

OPENING STATEMENT: “Okay, so for the injuries, you’ve got (Sanders) Commings, who has some shoulder inflammation on the same shoulder that he had hurt, so he will not practice today. Tamba Hali is making progress. He went through the walkthrough, but he won’t practice today. Justin (Houston) is literally in the MRI unit as we speak, so I don’t have anything for you; we’ll get it to you, but everybody else will practice and get their work in. We look forward to the challenge of playing the Denver Broncos. Obviously, we know them, and they know us from the last time we played, which was just a couple of weeks ago. It should be a great atmosphere for a football game. It’s up 47 degrees and 66,000 people, or whatever it is, are going to pack in there, and I know our players will be ready to go.”

Q:When you play the same team two times in three weeks, what’s the same and what’s different?

REID: “The general philosophy isn’t going to change. Their schemes aren’t going to change. There will be tweaks within the scheme; we’ll do the same thing. I mean, we’ll have subtle little changes. I don’t think you’re going to see drastic changes within the time period given to prepare for the games.”

Q: Do you like playing so close together or would you rather have more time in between them?

REID: “I don’t really get into that. I would tell you that this is what it is. I’ve had games where it’s actually back to back teams, so a week in between is, in the National Football League, an eternity. So, we can work with that and make it okay.”

Q: What about Dontari Poe being able to play such a large amount of snaps?

REID: “Dontari has played a lot of snaps. He’s a tough one to substitute, because he wants to be out there every snap. He doesn’t want to come out of the game and he enjoys playing. I don’t see anything where he’s fatigued at this point. He’s maintained his play level and he’s been healthy. He enjoys that role that he’s in. I think it’s good.”

Q: When the edge rushers might change around him, how will that affect him?

REID: “That doesn’t affect him. Playing nose guard in the National Football League, that’s your own little world, right there. You have a couple of gaps right there that you’re responsible for and you have to take care of. Obviously, you’re being hit from both sides, or they have the ability to hit you from both sides. So, you have to keep your eyes open and your instincts sharp and he does a good job of that.”

Q: Does it take a certain type of person to play that role?

REID: “Yeah, it takes a certain character to play in there. It does. He’s wired the right way to do that.”

Q: Was there something that New England exposed in their game against Denver that this team can learn from?

REID: “Well, in the second half they did. In the first half, the first three possessions they had were fumbles, and then they had a fourth-down they went for that they didn’t get. They had a couple of punts in there and that was kind of the first half. Then the second half, they came out and scored three touchdowns and did some good things there. You can learn from every game and every snap that you watch, so we’ve looked at that and we’ll see how it all works out.”

Q: Will Tamba Hali be ready to play on Sunday?

REID: “Yeah, I think there’s a good chance he’s there, but we’ll see. It’s day-to-day here. Every day he has made progress. That he went through the walkthrough, I thought was a big step. He’s going to tell me he’s going to play. That’s what he’s telling me at this moment, but again, we have to make sure he’s safe to be out there. We’re not going to put him in a position where he furthers the injury or that. But his desire is great to play in the game.”

REID: “We don’t know exactly what it is. We had to let the swelling go down. I’m saying we, I’m talking about our medical staff and trainers. He is literally in there now and he’s in the MRI tube. They’re going to make sure they cut that every which way they can cut it to make sure that they know exactly what it is.”

Q: What percent does Tamba Hali need to be at for him to be out there?

REID: “Normally, we’re going to tell you that he’s in a position when he plays where he’s safe. I don’t know how to measure the percentage. I’m not sure anyone does, but you want to make sure he can function and he can play without further injury. So, that’s how we’ll evaluate that. I say we again, that’s our medical people that do that. I have big ears, and I listen and make sure that I hear what they say in those situations. That’s not something I’m an expert in.”